Paper House of Mr. Stenman

At Pigeon Cove, Mass., there is a house made of newspapers. Mr. Elis F. Stenman, with the help of his family, began in 1922 to prepare the paper material to be used in constructing the walls of this unusual house. The newspapers were made into different layers, each having been pasted and folded. The walls when finished consist of two hundred and fifteen (215) thicknesses.

Today, paper furniture graces the paper house. For the furniture, the newspapers were made into rolls of different sizes.
Approximately 100,000 copies of newspapers have been used in the construction of the house and furniture. This work was started merely as an experiment to see what could be done with newspapers without destroying the print. The experiment has proved a success both in strength and stability.

The furniture consists of the following: table, chairs, lamps, settee, all made in an octagonal motif; desk, made of the Christian Science Monitor; a cot containing some papers saved since the First World War; a piano covered with paper rolls; a radio cabinet made in 1928 during Hoover’s campaign; a writing desk made of Col. C. Lindberg’s flight; a bookshelf made of newspapers from foreign countries; a grandfather clock, made of newspapers from the capital cities of the then 48 states; and a fireplace mantel made of the rotogravure section of the Boston Sunday Herald and New York Herald Tribune.

Work covered a period of 20 years.

Questions & Answers

When was the house built?
The house was started in 1922 by a Swedish immigrant named Elis Stenman. It was a 20 year project, a hobby really. The Stenmans, Elis and Esther, lived in Cambridge, near Boston. They had purchased this land to use as a summer retreat.

What did he do for a living?
Mr. Stenman was a mechanical engineer. He designed machines to make things out of wire, such as paper clips and hooks and eyes which were used as closings for clothing items.

Where did he get the newspapers?
Mr. Stenman read 3 papers daily. His neighbors happily donated theirs once the project took shape. The foreign papers were collected by a friend who worked in Washington D.C. The clock was built from papers collected by a neighbor. She wrote to each capital city and requested a paper for the project. Each of the then 48 states are represented.

Is the house all paper?
NO! Since the house was meant as a summer cottage, there is a traditional wood frame and roof. The wall material and the interior lining of the roof are paper. This paper “insulation” was initially supposed to be covered with clapboards. As you can see, the paper, with varnish covering, is sturdy enough to have survived the winters since 1924.

How did he do it?
The experiment started to see if newspapers could be sturdy and still retain the print. The log like material was made by rolling newspaper, dry, no glue until the end of the roll just enough to hold it tight. YES, he did use a tool. It was a long wire with a loop on the end. The paper was twisted tight and the end glued. Each roll was tied with a few strings until dry. A simple enough process, just rather time-consuming.

Did anyone live here?
YES. The house was used during the summers, 1924 – 1929.

Where is the kitchen?
There was a stove in the corner where the fireplace is now. The house had running water, but no bathroom. Outhouses were the order of the day.

How thick are the walls?
The outside walls are made of 215 thicknesses of paper, about ½” thick. The interior of the roof is lined with the same material. The house has a “normal” roof.

What is the protective coating?
Mr. Stenman used a marine grade varnish for a finish. The exterior is treated yearly. The interior has the original coating, nothing added since 1942. The porch overhang also serves to protect the outside.

Is this really sturdy?
YES. But please don’t try it now. The furniture was used when the Stenmans lived here. It is quite heavy, think of a few Sunday papers! The fireplace too is useable. Only the mantel is paper, the fire box is brick.

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